After initially opting himself out from the IPL 2025 Mega Auction, England speedster Jofra Archer has made an u-turn to mark himself available among the options short-listed for the two-day extravaganza in Jeddah on November 24 and 25.
After being marred by injuries over the last few years, the 29-year-old had initially given the auction a miss to finetune his preparations for next year’s Ashes. That would have meant Archer would be banned from participating in the next year’s IPL auction as well, as per the new IPL rule.
According to reports, Archer and fellow pacer Mark Wood were not initially granted the No-Objection Certificates to participate in IPL 2025, with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) prioritising the Ashes. Discontent with the move, Archer was later granted the NOC, prompting him to throw his name back into the ring. Meanwhile, it is understood that Wood has decided against putting his name on the short-list.
“Mark Wood and Jofra Archer were on the initial longlist for the auction but then weren’t on the shortlist and it turns out by the sounds of it that the ECB have denied them NOCs,” cricket broadcaster Matt Kabir Floyd said on the It’s Not Just Cricket. “I am hearing there are some negotiations going on right now between the BCCI, the ECB and the agents.”
Mumbai Indians had bought Archer at the 2022 mega auction for Rs 8 crore. After being entirely absent in the first season, Archer played just four matches in 2023 season before heading home after a recurrence of the elbow injury.
Archer is set to add onto the 574 cricketers that were listed by the BCCI last Friday. Out of them, 366 are Indians and 208 are overseas players which includes three players from associate nations. The auction will include 318 Indian uncapped players and 12 uncapped overseas players. Archer will be one among more than 35 England cricketers available in the auction pool.
204 slots will be up for grabs with 70 available slots for overseas players while Rs 2 Crore is the highest reserve price with 81 players opting to be in the highest bracket.